The Milwaukee Bucks finally got on the board, snagging their first win of the season thanks to a monstrous effort from Tyler Herro, who nearly put up a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. This wasn’t just any win, it ended a brutal three-game losing streak and gave them sweet revenge against the Pacers after a chippy preseason clash. Kel’el Ware also showed up big, adding 16 points and 14 boards as the Bucks rode a wild third-quarter rally to overcome a clearly weary Pacers squad on the second night of a back-to-back.
First Half Chaos: Pacers Push and Pull
Man, this game kicked off with a blur. Pascal Siakam wasted no time, grabbing an offensive board and feeding Aaron Nesmith for the opening layup. But you know this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park; it was pure back-and-forth chaos from the jump. Tyrese Haliburton’s floater tied it at six, and then Milwaukee hit back with a quick 6-0 run, capped by Kyle Kuzma’s insane and-one dunk over Jay Huff. The Pacers started cold from downtown, only hitting one of eight, but then they warmed up, with Jarace Walker’s triple cutting the lead to one. Kasparas Jakucionis then dished out two perfect dimes to Kel’el Ware, pushing the Bucks up by five. Of course, Milwaukee couldn’t close strong, giving up a turnover in the final moments for a Haliburton transition layup. Bucks up 31-29 after one.
The second quarter? Pure insanity. Quenton Jackson tied it up in less than 30 seconds, sparking a 9-0 Indy run! The Pacers were threatening to blow it open with Jay Huff and Haliburton draining threes, but the Bucks weren’t having it. Ryan Rollins dropped a triple, Kel’el Ware slammed home a lob over Huff, and Rollins hit another bomb to put the home team up by one. But Indy, they just kept coming. They slapped back with an 8-0 run as the Bucks went ice cold. Haliburton even splashed a stepback three and got right in Rollins’ face, picking up right where their preseason beef left off. Siakam closed the half with a slick fadeaway, putting the Pacers up 61-50. Rough stuff heading into the locker room, to be honest.
Third Quarter Ignition: Herro and the Rally
Whatever coach said at halftime, it worked. The Bucks came out swinging in the third, immediately chopping Indiana’s lead down to six. Herro, man, he was just on another level, hitting a pair of threes in semi-transition that just felt like pure momentum shifts. The team started passing the ball like crazy, dissecting that Indiana defense and finding open looks on the outside. Another Herro three, can you believe it, brought the lead down to just two points with under seven minutes left in the quarter. And then, BOOM, Rollins tied it up with a layup. The momentum had completely swung. The Pacers, led by Haliburton with 22 points and nine assists, plus Siakam and Obi Toppin adding 20 and 14 respectively, just couldn’t contain the rally.
This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement. Led by Herro’s near triple-double and Kel’el Ware’s beastly 16 points and 14 boards, the Bucks rode that third-quarter wave to completely flip the script on a tired Pacers squad. After three straight losses, this win feels like a huge exhale and a much-needed confidence boost. They got their revenge from that chippy preseason loss, and they showed they’ve got the fight in them. What a way to finally get on the board. You gotta wonder if this is the spark they needed to get their season truly rolling.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Brew Hoop.
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